Section 2.5 Attachment theories

3.2. Second stage: Attachment in making (6 weeks to 6-8 months)

During this stage, the infant begins to develop a sense of trust in the people who respond to their needs. They begin to show preferences for caregivers over strangers, but they will still accept care from strangers. The primary caregiver starts to have a powerful effect on the infant’s behaviour and can comfort the infant more easily than a stranger as the baby is developing social referencing skills. If the mother or primary caregiver takes good care of the baby’s biological needs, it will establish a sense of trust. However, even if the bond is stronger, at that stage the infant won’t protest when separated from a parent, they will not yet exhibit separation anxiety.